Alberta to offer 2nd COVID-19 booster to everyone 18+

Albertans 18 and older will soon be eligible for their second COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.

Starting Wednesday, Albertans 18 and older will be able to book an appointment for their second booster dose of an mRNA COVID vaccine, as long as it’s been five months or longer since their first booster shot.

This second booster is more beneficial to those at high risk of severe outcomes, according to Alberta Health.

“As we continue to live with COVID, vaccines remain critical to lowering your risk of severe outcomes and protecting our health-care system,” Health Minister Jason Copping said in a news release Tuesday afternoon.

“Albertans are encouraged to continue to get their first booster and to consider their unique circumstances when making choices about second booster.”

1:52 Half of Canadians want COVID-19 boosters as soon as possible

Recent data from the University of Calgary’s provincial wastewater tracking database shows that Calgary and Edmonton are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

The province said the Omicron BA.5 variant is the most common strain in Alberta right now. Alberta is expected to see periods of increased transmission of COVID-19 through the summer and into the fall and winter, according to the province. This will come alongside increased transmission of other respiratory diseases like influenza.

“We know that new variants of the COVID-19 virus will continue to emerge, and the best form of defence continues to be prevention,” chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said in a news release.

“I urge all Albertans who have not already done so to access their first booster dose to help lower their risk of infection and severe outcomes and to carefully consider their own risk factors when making choices about when to get a second booster of COVID-19 vaccine. ”

Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday “we are concerned that we are seeing likely a new wave developing right now from the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron.”

He said that was taken into account when seeking advice on wide access to fourth doses.

“We wanted to wait to get the scientific advice, and that’s just what we reviewed yesterday.”

2:00 Expert discusses timing when it comes to second COVID-19 booster doses

Pamela Lavold, owner of the Whitemud Crossing Medicine Shoppe pharmacy in Edmonton, said they’ve been anxiously awaiting the fourth dose.

“Lots of people have been unprotected for quite some time,” she said. “It’s a timing thing. There’s been a lot of space in between the third doses and the fourth doses.

“Everybody’s been very patient but lots of people are aware that cases of COVID-19 are rising. People want to travel and they want to have some protection.”

While Lavold believes there may be a bit of vaccine apathy among some of the population, she warns there is still a risk of COVID-19.

“COVID is still alive and well and we really want to make sure that we’re protecting people from a serious infection or hospitalization or even death.”

Alberta Health recommends waiting at least three months after a COVID-19 infection before getting a booster shot.

Dr. Alberto Martin, a professor in the department of immunology at the University of Toronto, said those who have recently been infected with COVID-19 could wait until the fall for another vaccine. That’s when Pfizer and Moderna are expected to roll out updated bivalent vaccines designed to protect against both the original strain and Omicron variant of the virus.

“If you’ve been infected with Omicron or variants thereafter, your immune system has already shifted to recognizing, making antibodies against the new variants,” he explained.

“If you haven’t had COVID recently, I’d say it’s still worth getting it… because it’s going to boost antibody levels to the original variant and provide some partial protection to the current variant.”

Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, said people who are at high risk of severe infection should not wait for the bivalent vaccine.

“If you are someone that is at increased risk for severe disease and it has been at least six months since your last dose of vaccine, then it will provide some increased protection against hospitalization or severe disease,” Smith said.

She added there are still some unknowns with the bivalent vaccine.

“The question of should we wait for something that is not a sure thing versus going ahead and getting vaccine with something that may not be quite as effective for Omicron is difficult,” Smith said.

“In my opinion, if you are someone who has had three doses of vaccine and recently had COVID, I think it’s not unreasonable to wait. I think if you’re someone who has had three doses and it’s been more than six months since your last dose and have not had COVID, then probably your immunity is waning and it might be worthwhile getting the fourth dose now as opposed to waiting for something that is not 100 per cent known.”

Appointments for booster doses can be booked online or by calling 811 starting Wednesday. Select pharmacies will also accept walk-ins, the province said.

The province also said people who received one dose of the Janssen vaccine at least two months ago are now also eligible for a booster dose. Due to limited supply, appointments can only be booked by calling 811.